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Updated: June 22, 2025
Manfred placed the Marquis next to Matilda, and seated himself between his wife and Isabella. Hippolita comported herself with an easy gravity; but the young ladies were silent and melancholy.
Father, you know not the bitterest of my pangs! it is some time that I have had scruples on the legality of our union: Hippolita is related to me in the fourth degree it is true, we had a dispensation: but I have been informed that she had also been contracted to another.
Ere they reached the castle, Hippolita, informed of the dreadful catastrophe, had flown to meet her murdered child; but when she saw the afflicted procession, the mightiness of her grief deprived her of her senses, and she fell lifeless to the earth in a swoon. Isabella and Frederic, who attended her, were overwhelmed in almost equal sorrow.
After long ruminating on these anxious thoughts, as he marched silently with Hippolita to the castle, he at last discoursed with that Princess on the subject of his disquiet, and used every insinuating and plausible argument to extract her consent to, even her promise of promoting the divorce. Hippolita needed little persuasions to bend her to his pleasure.
Manfred ordered him to be admitted. "Is your business with me or the Princess?" asked Manfred. "With both," replied the holy man. "The lady Isabella " "What of her?" interrupted Manfred eagerly. "Is at St. Nicholas altar," replied Jerome. "That is no business of Hippolita," said Manfred with confusion; "let us retire to my chamber."
"My lord," said the friar, "I know my duty, and am the minister of a mightier Prince than Manfred." Manfred trembled with rage and shame, but Hippolita intervened. "Holy father," said she, "it is my duty to hear nothing that it pleases not my lord I should hear. Attend the Prince to his chamber; I will retire to my oratory." "Excellent woman!" said the friar. "My lord, I attend your pleasure."
Manfred advanced hastily towards Frederic's bed to condole with him on his misfortune, and to learn the circumstances of the combat, when starting in an agony of terror and amazement, he cried "Ha! what art thou? thou dreadful spectre! is my hour come?" "My dearest, gracious Lord," cried Hippolita, clasping him in her arms, "what is it you see! Why do you fix your eye-balls thus?"
"Tell me directly, for I will not lose an instant and you, woman," speaking to his wife, "order your chaplain to attend me forthwith." "Isabella," said Hippolita calmly, "is retired, I suppose, to her chamber: she is not accustomed to watch at this late hour. Gracious my Lord," continued she, "let me know what has disturbed you. Has Isabella offended you?"
Hippolita, concerned at the heat that had arisen, checked Theodore for his boldness, but with an air acknowledging his zeal; and changing the conversation, demanded of Frederic where he had left her Lord?
Stealing softly and unobserved to the apartment of Hippolita, he entered it with a resolution to encourage her acquiescence to the divorce, having perceived that Manfred was resolved to make the possession of Isabella an unalterable condition, before he would grant Matilda to his wishes. The Marquis was not surprised at the silence that reigned in the Princess's apartment.
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